Bullet



July 7, 1942. F. KoWALsKl, JR 2,288,627

' BULLET Filed Feb'. 21, 1959' Fig 1 Incendiary @0m/003i f/'o/l lvm/Enf En F11/Erik Kok/1:15143.. l JY;

At tcm/*maya ?atented July 7, 1942 BULLET Frank Kowalski, Jr., United StatesArmy, Fort Benning, Ga.

Application February 21, 1939, Serial No. 257,643`

2 Claims. (Cl. 102-29) (Granted under the act oi March 3, 1883, as

. amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) mined by its accuracy. Since preliminary calculations and sight settings may be in error it is necessary to observe the re for the purpose of determining the sense and magm'tude of the deviations of the impact with respect to the target in order that appropriate adjustment may be made. Observation of the impact of small arms bullets is extremely diiicult and generally impossible under all terrain conditions with the exception of dry, dusty ground.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a bullet which will have the signaling and indicat ing characteristics of an explosive artillery shell and thereby facilitate the observation of the effects of small arms fire. In accomplishing this purpose by means of a signaling agent carried by the bullet it is necessary to consider the ability of the bullet to withstand the shock of firing, its reaction to the propelling gases While in the bore of the barrel, a maximum volumetric capacityv compatible with strength, ballistic efficiency in flight, and liberation of the contained` agent on impact. In addition to satisfactorily meeting the foregoing requirements the bullet must be capable of being conveniently manufactured and loaded and fired in a normal manner from service weapons.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodinient as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved bullet, and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Referring to the drawing by characters of reference the bullet comprises a jacket or shell of conventional design and including a cylindrical body 5, an ogival head 6, and a boat tail 1. The

body and tail are made of suiicient wall thick-v ness and strength to withstand the acelerating forces in the bore of the riiie while affording a maximum volumetric capacity. The head is of gradually decreasing thickness towards the front to provide a thin, weak point 8 which will b readily ruptured or opened on impact.

9 which may be of steel and is iitted tightly in place so as to provide an effective seal and prevent the gas pressures in the bore of the barrel from entering the interior of the bullet and exerting pressure to rupture the jacket. The plug is formed with a reduced front portion Ela having a force fit within the jacket and supporting the walls against collapse. The formation of the reduced portion provides a peripheral recess 9b for receiving the annular lip-l l0 of the jacket. This arrangement furnishes a strong vstructure against which the powder gases act to propel the bullet through the barrel and at the same time conveniently establishes a seal.

The jacket when closed by the plug forms a container in which may be carried a liquid, solid or gaseous agent I I adapted.for signaling, illuminating, incendiary or like purposes. As an example, titanium tetrachloride which hydrolizes in the atmosphere will produce a pui of dense white smoke ten to fteen feet in diameter and persisting for about a minute.

The bullet is conveniently loaded prior to assembling the rear plug 9 but it is obvious that the bullet may be considered' as a hollow shell with the signaling agent introduced in other well known manners, as by means `of an aperture in some part of the wall, which aperture would subsequently be plugged.

Tests of this kbullet have shown that'the ogival head wil be ruptured on impact with all kinds of obstacles and irrespective of the angle of incidence.

The rear end of the jacket is closed by aplug I claim: 1. A hollow metal bullet having an opening in the' base, and an ogival head of forwardly gradually decreasing wall thickness over a substantial plementary to said opening and fitted therein,

said plug having an outer ange overlying and supporting the base of the wall of the bullet, and an incendiary composition in said bullet.

' 'FRANK KOWALSKI, Ja. 

